Combination blood sampling vacuum syringe centrifuge container and specimen cup

ABSTRACT

An elongated, unitary, blood sampling vacuum syringe, centrifuge container and specimen cup, for use with an ordinary tubular needle holder is described. The device includes an evacuated blood sample centrifuge container within one end and an evacuated specimen cup within the other end of a common tubular housing member. A transfer needle coaxially arranged within the housing member between the centrifuge container and the specimen cup effects transfer of the blood serum, after centrifuging, from the centrifuge container to the specimen cup through piercable diaphragm closure caps at the inner or facing ends thereof. Means is provided for breaking away of the specimen cup end of the common housing member for ready removal of the serum-filled specimen cup for use in analysis.

United States Patent [151 7 3,706,305 Berger et al. Dec. 19, 1972 [54]COMBINATION BLOOD SAIVIPLING 3,190,547 6/1965 Shanley 128/272 X VACUUMSYRINGE CENTRIFUGE 3,382,865 5/1968 Worrall, Jr. 128/2 F CONTAINER ANDSPECIMEN CUP Inventors: Harold J. Berger, 8867 Froude Ave., Surfside,Fla. 33154; Jerry G. Goldsmith, 5225 N. Bay Road, Miami Beach, Fla.33140 Filed: March 3, 1971 Appl. No.: 120,474

U.S. Cl.'. ..l28/2 F, 23/2585, l28/D1G. 5, 128/276 Int. Cl. ..A6lb 10/00Field of Search ..l28/2 F, 2 R, 2 B, DIG. 5, 128/275, 276, 272; 233/26;23/2585 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gillman 128/276Christakis 128/272 X I Primary Examiner-Kyle L. Howell Attorney-ErnestH. Schmidt [5 7] ABSTRACT ranged within the housing member between thecentrifuge container and the specimen cup effects transfer of the bloodserum, after centrifuging, from the centrifuge container to the specimencup through piercable diaphragm closure caps at the inner or facing endsthereof. Means is provided for breaking away of the specimen cup end ofthe common housing member for ready removal of the serum-filled specimencup for use in analysis.

15 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PKTENTED 05c 19 I972 SHEET 1 0f 2 IINVENTORS. HAROLD a. BERGER JERRY a. GOLDSMITH flrromusy I Pvt it.

ATENTEDIJEMQIQIZ j 3.706.305 sumemz INVENTORS. Y HHAOLD u. BERGER BYJERRY a. GOLDSMITH M H. SM

QTTORA/EX COMBINATION BLOOD SAMPLING VACUUM SYRINGE CENTRIFUGE CONTAINERAND SPECIMEN CUP This invention relates to medical syringes and isdirected particularly to improved vacuum syringe devices combining ablood sample centrifuge container and a serum receivingspecimen cup in aunitary structure.

In blood analysis for medical diagnosis or research it is frequentlynecessary to separate the blood serum from the cellular blood matter forindependent chemical analysis. This is usually done by centrifuging ablood sample or specimen taken from the patient or donor with the use ofan ordinary piston-controlled or vacuum actuated medical syringe.Because freshly drawn blood has a tendency to change in character due toenzymatic action, it is essential that separation and removal of theblood serum be effected as soon as possible after collection to ensurevalid analysis. It is also important that the procedure undertaken inthe centrifuging of the blood sample and removal of the serum specimenbe such as to minimize any possibility of contamination. Since, inmedical diagnosis, a substantial portion of the blood samples foranalysis are taken in private clinics or physicians treatmentfacilities, and since such facilities vary over a wide range as tolaboratory capability, availability and competence of technicalpersonel, the preparation for analysis of blood sample serum is notinfrequently of less than optimum quality. It should also be noted thatsamples obtained in this manner are frequently shipped over longdistances before being subjected to chemical analysis. If the cellularblood mass is not properly and totally separated from the serum, afaulty result will be obtained by the receiving laboratory. In suchcases the specimen collection agency, and not the receiving laboratory,is at fault. The medical literature as well as the publications in thefield of clinical chemistry have, in the past, expressed great concernover these deficiencies and stated that the following determinations areparticularly affected. Thus, it is well known that a number of changesensue when whole blood is allowed to stand without removal of thecellular fraction. The glucose concentration diminishes rapidly,electrolytes migrate across cell membranes to establish new equilibria;phosphatases cleave intracellular organic phosphate esters, increasingthe inorganic phosphorous level, and cellular enzymes may leak outcausing false serum levels. When hemolysis occurs these effects becomeexaggerated and, in addition, complications develop with the technicalaspects of certain test procedures.

The removal of the centrifuged blood serum from the blood sample foranalysis was heretofore accomplished either by manually pouring theserum from the top of the container or tube into the serum specimen cup,or by vacuum withdrawal by mouth with the use of a pipette tube loweredinto the blood serum for subsequent release into separate specimen cups.It can readily be understood that either of these two commonly usedserum removal methods are subject to sources of contamination. Thesemethods of separation, moreover, are readily subject to contamination ofthe serum by migrating blood cells unless great care is taken in theseparating process. For this reason, several spinnings in a centrifugeare generally necessary in order to obtain a serum sample which lendsitself to reliable and valid chemical analysis. This process ofseparation takes much of the technicians time and, in addition,necessitates the uneconomic use of glassware.

It is, accordingly, the principal object of this invention to provide anew and improved blood sampling vacuum syringe, centrifuge container andspecimen cup that obviates the above described deficiencies of bloodserum specimen preparation devices and procedures heretofore devised.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide' a combinationblood sampling vacuum syringe, centrifuge container and specimen cup ofthe character above described that will be of unitary structureincluding an enclosed blood sample centrifuge container and a specimencup for use with an ordinary tubular needle holder for vacuum drawing ablood sample into the centrifuge container, and which includes means forautomatically withdrawing a predetermined quantity of subsequentlycentrifuged blood serum in said container into the specimen cup foranalysis upon the manual manipulation of the device in a simple andnoncritical manner.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum syringedevice of the above nature wherein the specimen cup has its open endhermetically sealed by means of an inwardly directed, resilientdiaphragm closure cap adapted to be pierced, upon actuation of thedevice, by one end of a hollow transfer needle coaxially arranged withinthe device, the other end of said transfer needle being adapted topierce a resilient diaphragm closure cap at the inner end of thecentrifuge tube for depression down into the centrifuged serum to beevacuated into the specimen tube.

And yet another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum syringedevice in the above nature including means for readily transverselysevering or breaking away the specimen cup end portion of the devicehousing to permit easy removal of the filled serum specimen cup forlaboratory analysis. Quicker and more efficient separation of serum fromcells is thus achieved with less labor and a higher degree of accuracythan heretofore possible.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum syringedevice of the above nature which will be of such simple and inexpensiveconstruction as to be readily disposable or expendable after use, whileat the same time providing under a clean environment a capped bloodserum containing specimen cup for interchangeable use in automaticmultiple tests laboratory analyzers.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description when read with reference to theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numeralsdenote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. I is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a vacuum syringe deviceembodying the invention shown partly inserted in a tubular needle holderpreparatory to the taking of a blood sample;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 1, butshowing the vacuum syringe device fully depressed pressed within theneedle holder after a blood sample has been taken and further showingthe blood sample which has been withdrawn into the lower or centrifugechamber of the device;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vacuum syringe deviceof FIG. 2, shown separately, after centrifuging of the blood sample, andwith the centrifuge chamber pressed upwardly within its housingpreparatory to removal of the centrifuged blood sample serum into thespecimen cup;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3but showing the serum specimen cup depressed downwardly within itshousing and with the serum specimen withdrawn therein;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 4 butshowing how an upper portion of the cylindrical housing of the devicecan be broken away to separate the serum containing specimen cup;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a modified form ofvacuum syringe device embodying the invention shown partly inserted in atubular needle holder preparatory to the taking of a blood sample;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 6, butshowing the vacuum syringe device fully depressed within the needleholder after a blood sample has been taken, and further showing theblood sample withdrawn into the lower or centrifuge chamber of thedevice;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vacuum syringe deviceof FIG. 7, shown separately, after centrifuging of the blood sample andwith the transfer needle and serum specimen cup pressed downwardlywithin their housing so that the downwardly-extending portion of theneedle pierces into the centrifuge chamber just prior to removal of thecentrifuged serum therefrom;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 8and showing how further depression of a vacuum serum specimen cupeffects piercing of the lower diaphragm cap of the specimen cup topermit vacuum withdrawal thereinto from the centrifuge chamber of theblood serum; and

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 9,but showing how an upper portion of the cylindrical housing of thedevice can be broken away to remove the serum containing specimen cup.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, reference numeral 10designates, generally, a combination blood sampling vacuum syringe,centrifuge container and specimen cup embodying the invention, the samebeing shown, in FIGS. 1 and 2, being used in association with a hollowneedle holder 11. The needle holder 11 is of standard knownconstruction, and may be of the type commonly used with ordinary vacuumsyringes. As such, it comprises a tubular body portion 12, the upper endof which is open to receive an evacuated blood collection tube andprovided with an outwardly extending, peripheral flange 13 for manualgrip .and control. The opposite end of the tubular body portion 12 isclosed with a bottom wall portion 14 provided with an internallythreaded, axial opening 15 into which a disposable hollowneedle assembly16 may be removably fitted in known fashion. The needle assembly 16comprises an outwardly extending end 17 for insertion into the patientsvein upon the taking of a blood sample, and an inwardly extending end 18for piercing the centrifuge chamber of the vacuum syringe device, as ishereinbelow more particularly described.

The vacuum syringe device 10 embodying the invention comprises anelongated, cylindrical housing member 19, preferably. of a tough,transparent synthetic plastic material, within which is slidably fitteda blood sample centrifuge chamber 20. The centrifuge chamber 20comprises a cylindrical tube 21, preferably of glass, hermeticallysealed at the lower end by a lower diaphragm cap member 22 and, at theupper end, by an upper diaphragm cap member 23. The interior of thecentrifuge chamber 20 is evacuated to effect the withdrawal of bloodthereinto during use of the device as is hereinbelow more particularlydescribed. A removable end closure cap 24, which may be of a somewhatresilient synthetic plastic material friction fitted over the lower endof the cylindrical housing member 19, retains I the blood samplecentrifuge chamber 20-within said cylindrical housing member. The endclosure cap 24 is provided with a central opening 25 for through passageof the inwardly extending end 18 of the needle assemble 16, as ishereinbelow more particularly described. A removable abutment pin'26extending through diametrically opposed pin openings 27, 28 in thecylindrical housing member l9 is so disposed as to constrain theevacuated blood sample centrifuge chamber 20 at its lowermost positionwithin the cylindrical housing member 19 prior to use of the device.

A hollow transfer needle 29 is coaxially disposed within the elongatedcylindrical housing member 19, being retained by a supporting discmember 30 tranversely affixed within said housing member. about onethirdthe. distance from the upper end thereof. The supporting disc member 30also supports a hollow displacement air needle 31 extending through saidsupporting disc member and projecting a short distance in the downwarddirection. The transfer needle 29 comprises a long, downwardly extendingportion 32 and a short, upwardly extending portion 33. The peripheralwall of the cylindrical housing member 19 is provided with an air ventopening 34 directly above the needle supporting disc member 30, for thepurpose hereinafter appearing.

Fitted in inverted disposition within the upper end of the cylindricalhousing member 19, and slidably disposed therein, is a specimen cup 35.The specimen cup 35, which is preferably I integrally formed of astrong, transparent synthetic plastic material, comprises a cylindricalouter wall 36 having an outwardly extending peripheral flange 37 nearits open end, and a substantially frusto-conical bottom 38 at the closedor upper end, as illustrated in the drawings. The specimen cup 35 is ofa shape typical of those used in automatic blood chemistryanalyzers,-and therefore forms no part of the present invention in andof itself. The open end of the specimen cup 35 is fitted with adiaphragm clo sure cap 39 hermetically sealing said cup against acontained vacuum for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Prior to use ofv the vacuum syringe device, the lower end of the cappedspecimen cup 35 rests against the upper end or point of the upper needleportion 33, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The upper or bottom end of thespecimen cup 35 extends just short of the upper end of the cylindricalhousing member 19, and said housing end is capped by a removable end capmember 40. The end cap member 40 is preferably molded of a comparativelyresilient, synthetic plastic material and is so sized as to befrictionally retained in place.

Considering now the operation of the vacuum syringe device 10, the samewill first be fitted loosely in a typical needle holder 11 as describedabove preparatory to insertion of the outwardly extending end portion 17of the needle assembly 16 in the distended vein of the patient givingthe blood sample. As illustrated in FIG. 2, immediately upon insertionof the needle the blood sample centrifuge chamber 20 will become filledwith blood, indicated at B, drawn in under the influence of thecontained vacuum. The vacuum syringe device will thereupon be withdrawnfrom the needle holder 11, and the lower diaphragm cap 22, being of aresilient material such as natural or synthetic rubber, will seal offthe contained blood upon its separation from the inwardly extendingneedle portion 18. The blood containing vacuum syringe device 10 is nowready for centrifuging to separate the blood cell mass from the serum,such separation being illustrated in FIG. 3 by the cell mass C shown inthe lower end portion of the centrifuge chamber 20, and the blood serum,designated S, at the upper end portion of said centrifuge chamber. Asillustrated by reference character D in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, aftercentrifuging there will be a rather sharp plane of demarcation betweenthe dense blood cell mass C and the serum S.

FIGS. 3 and 4 further illustrate how the blood serum S in the bloodsample centrifuge chamber is transfered to the specimen cup 35. To thisend, the end closure cap 24 will next be removed from the lower end ofthe cylindrical housing member 19 and the finger or a suitable pushingdevice, such as a pencil, will be used to push the centrifuge chamber 20up against the underside of the supporting disc member 30 so that thelower end portion 32 of the transfer needle 29 passes through the upperdiaphragm cap 23 of said centrifuge chamber and deep into the bloodserum S contained therein. In this connection, it is to be noted thatthe abutment pin 26, which normally prevents upward movement of thecentrifuge chamber 20 prior to centrifuging of a blood sample, mustfirst be removed. The head at one end of the pin 26 permits easy manualwithdrawal. After the centrifuge chamber 20 has been pushed home againstthe underside of the fixed supporting disc member 30, the upper end cap40 on the cylindrical housing member 19 will be removed and the specimencup 35 will be pushed in inwardly, (see FIG. 4), so that its lower endseats against the top of the supporting disc member 30. In so doing, theshort upper end portion 33 of the hollow transfer needle 29 will be madeto pierce the diaphragm closure cap 39 whereupon, under the influence ofthe contained vacuum, blood serum S will be drawn upwardly into thespecimen cup 35. The hollow displacement air needle 31, which alsopierces the upper diaphragm cap 23 of the blood sample centrifugechamber 20 upon its being pushed into seating engagement against theunderside of the supporting disc member 30 as described above, serves asa flow path for displacement air upon removal of blood serum S to thespecimen cup 35 as described above. To insure free flow of atmosphericair into the air needle 31, the side wall of the cylindrical housingmember 19 will preferably be provided with a small vent opening 34located directly above the supporting disc member 30 (see FIG. 1).

With reference to FIG. 4, the length of the lower end portion 32 of thehollow transfer needle 29 will be such, with respect to the proportionsof the blood sample centrifuge chamber 20, as to extend somewhat shortof the plane of separation or demarcation D between the centrifugedblood serum S and the blood cell mass C. With such spacing, eddycurrents in the serum S occasioned by swift inflow at the lower end ofthe needle portion 29 will be far enough removed from the blood cellmass to obviate any possibility of contamination of serum S being drawninto the specimen cup 35. As an additional precaution against thesetting up of such strong eddy currents at the tip end of the transferneedle end portion 29 as might conceivably cause blood cell mixing orcontamination of the specimen serum, a side-Wall portion of said needleportion is preferably apertured, near the lower end thereof as indicatedat 41, to serve as an auxiliary passageway for the flow of serum S intosaid needle. The aperture 41 has the effect of reducing the velocity ofserum flow throughthe pointed hollow end of the needle, therebylessening any possibility of disturbance of blood cells in the vicinityof the plane of demarcation or separation D.

With reference to FIG. 4, means is provided for quickly and simplyremoving the filled specimen cup 35 for independent storage, transportand analysis. To this end, the outer peripheral wall of thecylindricalhousing member 19, at a position immediately above the supporting discmember 30, is provided with an annular groove 42 defining a weakenedwall zone permitting lateral breakaway upon the imposition of a gentlemanually applied twisting and/or pulling motion at opposite sides ofsaid groove, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The separated upper portion ofthe cylindrical housing 19 can thereafter readily be withdrawn from thespecimen cup 35, and the filled specimen cup removed from the upper endportion 33 of the transfer needle 29 for independent use as describedabove. The diaphragm closure cap 39 enclosing the upper end of thespecimen cup 35, being of a resilient material such as natural orsynthetic rubber, will seal itself upon withdrawal from the transferneedle to prevent spillage or contamination of the contained specimenprior to use in analysis. The diaphragm closure cap 39 can be readilymanually removed if necessary for sampling of the specimen duringsubsequent analysis.

FIGS. 6 through 10 illustrate a modified form of the above describedinvention, differing therefrom principally in that the disc member 30asupporting the hollow transfer needle 29a is slidably disposed in theelongated cylindrical housing member 19a instead of being fixed therein.Since this second embodiment otherwise differs only slightly from theembodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5 described above, only such differences,and their effects upon the use and operation of the vacuum syringedevice, will now be detailed herein.

Referring to FIG. 6, it will be noted that in the second form of theinvention the removable abutment pin 26 and its associated pin openings27 and 28 described above in the first embodiment are omitted, and thatthe piercing needle point at the lower end of the hollow transfer needle29a abuts directly against the outer surface of the upper diaphragm cap23a. The upper needle point of the hollow transfer needle 29a similarlyabuts directly against the outer surface of the diaphragm closure cap39a associated with specimen cup 35a. As a salient feature ofconstruction of the em bodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6through 10, it is to be noted that the thickness and/or quality of thecentral zone 43 of the lower diaphragm cap 22a to be pierced is such asto be more readily pierced upon relative axial movement of itsassociated needle end portion 18 than the central zone 44 of the upperdiaphragm cap 23a to be pierced by relative axial movement of the lowerend of the hollow transfer needle 29a. In addition, the central zone 45of the diaphragm closure cap 39 will be of such thickness and/or qualityas to be pierced only by a relatively greater axial force imposed by thetransfer needle 29a than that required to pierce the upper diaphragm cap23a. Thus, referring to FIG. 7 and considering the operation of thevacuum syringe device, it will be noted that downward pressure of thedevice 10a upon the taking of a blood sample from a patient as describedabove in connection with the description of operation of the embodimentof the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, will result in thepiercing only of the lower diaphragm cap 220 to enable the withdrawal ofa blood sample into the centrifuge chamber a. The samplecontainingvacuum syringe device is then ready for centrifuging, after which, asillustrated in FIG. 8, the housing upper end cap 19a will be removed topermit push ing inwardly upon the specimen cup 35a by use of the fingeror suitable implement, such as an ordinary pencil. FIG. 8 illustrateshow under such pushing action, the lower end of the transfer needle willpenetrate the upper diaphragm cap 23a of the blood sample centrifugechamber 20a to its fullest extent, i.e., to the extent limited only bythe moving of the needle supporting disc member a into seatingengagement upon the upper diaphragm cap 23a. Thereafter, because of thebuttressing effect upon the underside of the supporting disc member 30aimposed by the capped centrifuge chamber 20a, further downward forceupon the specimen cup a will result, finally, in the piercing of thespecimen cup diaphragm closure cap 39a, as illustrated in FIG. 9, toeffect evacuation of centrifuged blood serum S into said specimen cup inthe same manner and for the same purpose as described above inconnection with the operation of the first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5.

As in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5,the second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 10is similarly provided with means for quickly and easily separating theserum-containing specimen cup from the used vacuum syringe device. Tothis end, the outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical housing member19a, at a position immediately above the transfer needle supporting discmember 30a in its final position of use as illustrated in FIG. 9, isprovided with an annular groove 46 defining a weakened wall zonepermitting lateral breakaway upon the imposition of a manually appliedtwisting and/or pulling motion at opposite sides of said groove, (seeFIG. 10).

While we have illustrated and described herein only two forms in whichour invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to beunderstood that these forms are given by way of example only and not ina limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all the embodimentsand modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the followingclaims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. For use with a conventional tubular blood sampling needle holder, acombination holder, centrifuge container and specimen cup comprising, incombination, an elongated tubular housing member, an evacuated tubularcentrifuge container member slidably disposed within one end of saidhousing member and having a needle pierceable diaphragm closure capmember at each end, an evacuated specimen cup member slidably disposedin the other end of said housing member in axially spaced relation withrespect to said centrifuge container member, the inner end of saidspecimen cup member having a needle pierceable diaphragm closure capmember, a hollow transfer. needle pointed at each end, means supportingsaid transfer needle in longitudinal disposition within said housingmember between said centrifuge container member and said specimen cupmemberfor sequentially piercing the inner diaphragm closure cap of saidcentrifuge container member and the diaphragm closure cap of saidspecimen member upon relative axial movement, within said housingmember, of said centrifuge container member and said specimen cup memberwith respect to said transfer needle.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular housingmember, said centrifuge container member and said specimen cup memberare cylindrical in shape.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, including releasable means forconstraining said centrifuge con tainer member against inwardly slidingmovement with respect to said housing member.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein said transfer needlesupporting means comprises means retaining said transfer needle in fixedrelative disposition within said housing member.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4, including a side-wall aperturein said transfer needle near the pointed end thereof facing saidcentrifuge container member.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, including auxiliary means forventing the centrifuge container member through the inner diaphragmclosure cap of said centrifuge container member upon the piercingthereof by said transfer needle.

7. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said housing member isprovided with a peripheral weakened wall zone in the vicinity of theinner end of said specimen cup member to permit manual breakawaysevering of an end portion of said housing member, for easy removal ofsaid specimen cup member after being pierced by said transfer needle.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein said tubular housingmember, said centrifuge container member and said specimen cup memberare cylindrical in shape.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8, wherein said transfer needle iscoaxially disposed within said housing member.

10. The invention as defined in claim .1, wherein the needle pierceableportion of said inner diaphragm closure cap member of said centrifugecontainer member is of lesser thickness than that portion of thediaphragm closure cap of said specimen cup and therefore offers lessresistance to being pierced by said transfer needle .than said diaphragmclosurecap of said specimen cup member.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10, wherein the needle pierceableportion of said outer diaphragm closure cap member of said centrifugemember is of lesser thickness than that portion of the inner diaphragmclosure cap of said centrifuge container and therefore offers lessresistance to being pierced by said transfer needle than said innerdiaphragm closure cap of said centrifuge container member.

12. The invention as defined in claim 10, wherein said tubular housingmember, said centrifuge container member and said specimen cup memberare cylindrical in shape, and wherein said transfer needle is coaxiallydisposed within said housing member.

13. The invention as defined in claim 12, including auxiliary means forventing the centrifuge container member through the inner diaphragmclosure cap of said centrifuge container member upon the piercingthereof by said transfer needle.

14. The invention as defined in claim 13, including a side-wall aperturein said transfer needle near the pointed end thereof facing saidcentrifuge container member.

15. The invention as defined in claim 13, wherein said housing member isprovided with a peripheral weakened wall zone in the vicinity of theinner end of said specimen cup member to permit manual breakawaysevering of an end portion of said housing member for easy removal ofsaid specimen cup member after being pierced by said transfer needle.

1. For use with a conventional tubular blood sampling needle holder, acombination holder, centrifuge container and specimen cup comprising, incombination, an elongated tubular housing member, an evacuated tubularcentrifuge container member slidably disposed within one end of saidhousing member and having a needle pierceable diaphragm closure capmember at each end, an evacuated specimen cup member slidably disposedin the other end of said housing member in axially spaced relation withrespect to said centrifuge container member, the inner end of saidspecimen cup member having a needle pierceable diaphragm closure capmember, a hollow transfer needle pointed at each end, means supportingsaid transfer needle in longitudinal disposition within said housingmember between said centrifuge container member and said specimen cupmember for sequentially piercing the inner diaphragm closure cap of saidcentrifuge container member and the diaphragm closure cap of saidspecimen member upon relative axial movement, within said housingmember, of said centrifuge container member and said specimen cup memberwith respect to said transfer needle.
 2. The invention as defined inclaim 1, wherein said tubular housing member, said centrifuge containermember and said specimen cup member are cylindrical in shape.
 3. Theinvention as defined in claim 1, including releasable means forconstraining said centrifuge container member against inwardly slidingmovement with respect to said housing member.
 4. The invention asdefined in claim 3, wherein said transfer needle supporting meanscomprises means retaining said transfer needle in fixed relativedisposition within said housing member.
 5. The invention as defined inclaim 4, including a side-wall aperture in said transfer needle near thepointed end thereof facing said centrifuge container member.
 6. Theinvention as defined in claim 5, including auxiliary means for ventingthe centrifuge container member through the inner diaphragm closure capof said centrifuge container member upon the piercing thereof by saidtransfer needle.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein saidhousing member is provided with a peripheral weakened wall zone in thevicinity of the inner end of said specimen cup member to permit manualbreakaway severing of an end portion of said housing member, for easyremoval of said specimen cup member after being pierced by said transferneedle.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein said tubularhousing member, said centrifuge container member and said specimen cupmember are cylindrical in shape.
 9. The invention as defined in claim 8,wherein said transfer needle is coaxially disposed within said housingmember.
 10. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the needlepierceable portion of said inner diaphragm closure cap member of saidcentrifuge container member is of lesser thickness than that portion ofthe diaphragm closure cap of said specimen cup and therefore offers lessresistance to being pierced by said transfer needle than said diaphragmclosure cap of said specimen cup member.
 11. The invention as defined inclaim 10, wherein the needle pierceable portion of said outer diaphragmclosure cap member of said centrifuge member is of lesser thickness thanthat portion of the inner diaphragm closure cap of said centrifugecontainer and therefore offers less resistance to being pierced by saidtransfer needle than said inner diaphragm closure cap of said centrifugecontainer member.
 12. The invention as defined in claim 10, wherein saidtubular housing member, said centrifuge container member and saidspecimen cup member are cylindrical in shape, and wherein said transferneedle is coaxially disposed within said housing member.
 13. Theinvention as defined in claim 12, including auxiliary means for ventingthe centrifuge container member through the inner diaphragm closure capof said centrifuge container member upon the piercing thereof by saidtransfer needle.
 14. The invention as defined in claim 13, including aside-wall aperture in said transfer needle near the pointed end thereoffacing said centrifuge container member.
 15. The invention as defined inclaim 13, wherein said housing member is provided with a peripheralweakened wall zone in the vicinity of the inner end of said specimen cupmember to permit manual breakaway severing of an end portion of saidhousing member for easy removal of said specimen cup member after beingpierced by said transfer needle.